Escape. Engage. Enjoy.

Batman is the villain and The Joker is a hero? Writer/artist Sean Gordon Murphy brings a new twist on the Bat mythology.

Batman: White Knight #1 courtesy DC Comics

DC Comics announced via Wired Murphy (Punk Rock Jesus, The Wake) will create BATMAN: WHITE NIGHT. This is a seven issue tale of a twisted Gotham. Hailed as story with a massive cast, epic scale, but at the heart of it all is the tragic story of a hero and a villain, The Batman and The Joker. The question is, which one is the hero and which one is the villain…?

“We know Joker’s a genius, we know he’s relentless, and we know he can play the crowd, so why not make him a politician?” said Murphy. “Why not strip away the psychosis (the thing that’s holding him back) and let him challenge Batman unimpeded? And to make it even scarier, what if he did it legally and without breaking any rules, so that Batman couldn’t stop him?”

Batman: White Knight #1 courtesy DC Comics

The story is set in a world where the Joker has been cured of his insanity and homicidal tendencies. The Joker, now known as “Jack,” is trying to right his wrongs. What happens when “Jack” tries to reconcile with Harley Quinn and tries to save Gotham City from the one person he thinks is truly Gotham’s greatest villain—the Batman.

Batman: White Knight #1 courtesy DC Comics

“Seeing Gotham for the first time with clear eyes, his psychosis now cured, he starts to understand the absurdity of vigilantism and how Batman’s actions are only contributing to Gotham’s endless crime cycle,” said Murphy. “Joker sets out to beat Batman by becoming the White Knight that Gotham really needs.”

Batman: White Knight #1 courtesy DC Comics

BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT #1, written and illustrated by Sean Murphy, arrives on October 4. Cover artwork by Murphy with color by Matt Hollingsworth.